Author: Alex Koma

News

Local Law Enforcement Agencies Plan Major Emergency Exercise in Arlington Later This Month

By Alex Koma
File photo

County police announced this week that the training will take place on Sunday, March 31. But they declined to release any details about its timing or location, except to say that it would involve “multiple locations throughout the region.”

“The public should not experience any significant impacts to traffic routes or public facilities,” police wrote in a news release. “Members of the public will see an increase in public safety vehicles and law enforcement officers in the area but should not be alarmed or concerned as they will be part of the exercise play.”

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News

Pricy Lobbying and ‘Spilled Blood’: The Inside Story of How Arlington Won a Veto in Richmond

By Alex Koma

(Updated at 10:45 p.m.) About a year ago at this time, Arlington looked to be in serious trouble down in Richmond.

In mid-March 2018, county officials faced the decidedly unpleasant prospect that they’d come out on the losing end of a bruising legislative battle with two local golf and country clubs.

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Around Town

Two New Restaurants Open in Ballston Quarter’s Food Court, With Others Nearly Ready for Diners

By Alex Koma
Copa Kitchen and Bar at Ballston Quarter.

Slowly, but surely, restaurants in Ballston Quarter’s food court are opening to diners.

When the development opened up its “Quarter Market” to customers earlier this month, just one restaurant (Mi & Yu Noodle Bar) was open for business. In the days since then, two more have joined the club.

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News

County Considers Further Reducing Parking Requirements for Developments Along R-B Corridor

By Alex Koma
Ballston parking garage (file photo)

Arlington officials could soon approve additional rollbacks to the number of parking spaces required for new apartment developments along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.

Right now, the County Board is barred from allowing new developments along certain sections of the corridor if they don’t have at least one parking space for every unit planned for the new building. The Board is now considering removing that restriction, which would specifically impact properties zoned as “R-C” districts.

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News

Cyclists Can Now Test Out Experimental Protected Bike Lanes in Crystal City, Potomac Yard

By Alex Koma
New protected bike lanes in Potomac Yard (via @mttrgrs)

Bicyclists in Potomac Yard and Crystal City might’ve noticed some funky new protected bike lanes around town — but some of them won’t be sticking around for long.

The lanes popped up this week to coincide with the “National Bike Summit,” a gathering of cycling activists held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City.

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News

County Considers Lowering Speed Limit Along Busy Pentagon City Street

By Alex Koma

Drivers along a busy stretch of road in Pentagon City could soon need to slow down a bit.

County officials are proposing changing the speed limit along S. Hayes Street as the road runs between Army Navy Drive and 15th Street S. It currently has posted speed limits of 35 and 30 miles per hour along different stretches of the road, but the county could bump that down to 25 miles per hour.

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News

Legal Experts Fear County Has Strayed Onto ‘Thin Ice’ With Arlington Mill Internet Project

By Alex Koma

Residents of an affordable housing complex in Arlington Mill could soon get access to free wi-fi, thanks to the county’s own fiber optic network — but is that legal?

It’s a question that vexes broadband experts and legal observers alike, who see the county potentially running afoul of some restrictive state laws, even though the project happens to be in service of a good cause.

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News

County Could Soon Allow Installation of Large Media Screens Above Ballston Quarter’s Plaza

By Alex Koma
A rendering of media screens proposed for Ballston Quarter's plaza (via Arlington County)

Ballston Quarter could soon win the county’s approval to install large “media screens” above its public plaza.

The newly renovated Ballston Common mall’s developers, Forest City, have been hoping to construct the new screens ever since the fall. But the company’s lawyers soon realized that the county zoning code wouldn’t allow for the sort of design they envisioned.

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News

County Plans Another Meeting to Discuss New Strategies for Easing Traffic Around DCA Rideshare Lot

By Alex Koma
A staging lot for rideshare drivers in Crystal City, near its S. Eads Street exit (via Arlington County)

County officials and representatives from ridesharing companies are planning another community meeting to talk through traffic headaches generated by a staging lot for Uber and Lyft drivers serving Reagan National Airport passengers.

Arlington leaders will convene another gathering on the subject next week — in tandem with Uber, Lyft and airport executives — though they hope they’ve managed to alleviate many of the issues the community raised last fall.

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News

Virginia Hospital Center Prepares to Close Glencarlyn Childcare Center, Leaving Parents ‘Panicking’

By Alex Koma

Virginia Hospital Center executives celebrated when they finally earned permission to expand the hospital’s North Arlington campus and execute a long-planned land swap with the county — but one of the consequences of the deal has some employees and parents feeling blindsided.

VHC is gearing up to send Arlington its property at 601 S. Carlin Springs Road in Glencarlyn, in exchange for gaining control over a piece of land at 1800 N. Edison Street. The latter property is adjacent to its existing facilities along N. George Mason Drive, and will be a key part of the hospital’s hotly debated expansion plans.

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